IN THE NEWS

TOUR OF THE MONTH

ON THIS DAY IN LONDON

20th March 1968 Arsenal footballer Paul Merson was born in Harlesden, North London.

20th March 1920 1st flight from London to South Africa lands (1 months)

20th March 1906 George B Shaws Captain Brassbound's Conversion, premieres in London

20th March 1727 Issac Newton, English physicist/astronomer, died in London aged 84.

20th March 1616 Walter Raleigh released from Tower of London to seek gold in Guyana

Centre Point Tower

An architectural icon from the 1960s and famous London building.

Location: Tottenham Court Road, NW1

Description: An architectural icon from the 1960s.

One of London's most famous, if not most-loved, buildings, Centre Point stands in the centre of the West End, looking over the busy Oxford Street and Charing Cross Rd junction.

Built by the architect Richard Seifert on land originally designated for a traffic roundabout, a long series of extra-ordinary and cloudy dealings resulted in planning permission being granted in August, 1959.

The building stands 117m (385ft) tall, accommodating 35 floors of office space, with its distinctive concrete pattern making it an instantly recognisable London landmark. Centre Point was completed in 1964 and become covered in controversy as greedy property tycoon Harry Hyams intentionally kept it unoccupied as values soared against its potential rent yield.